Portable Multifunction Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface for Conference Calling

ABSTRACT

In some embodiments, a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display performs a method that includes: displaying a phone call user interface on the touch screen display, wherein the phone call user interface includes: a first informational item associated with an active phone call between a user of the device and a first party, a second informational item associated with a suspended phone call between the user and a second party, and a merge call icon; upon detecting a user selection of the merge call icon, merging the active phone call and the suspended phone call into a conference call between the user, the first party, and the second party, and replacing the phone call user interface with a conference call user interface. The conference call user interface includes: a third informational item associated with the conference call, and a conference call management icon.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNos. 60/937,993, “Portable Multifunction Device,” filed Jun. 29, 2007;60/947,133, “Portable Multifunction Device, Method, and Graphical UserInterface for Conference Calling,” filed Jun. 29, 2007; 60/879,469,“Portable Multifunction Device,” filed Jan. 8, 2007; 60/879,253, and“Portable Multifunction Device,” filed Jan. 7, 2007. All of theseapplications are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

This application is related to the following applications: (1) U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/188,182, “Touch Pad For Handheld Device,”filed Jul. 1, 2002; (2) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/722,948,“Touch Pad For Handheld Device,” filed Nov. 25, 2003; (3) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/643,256, “Movable Touch Pad With AddedFunctionality,” filed Aug. 18, 2003; (4) U.S. patent application Ser.No. 10/654,108, “Ambidextrous Mouse,” filed Sep. 2, 2003; (5) U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/840,862, “Multipoint Touchscreen,” filedMay 6, 2004; (6) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/903,964, “GesturesFor Touch Sensitive Input Devices,” filed Jul. 30, 2004; (7) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/038,590, “Mode-Based Graphical User InterfacesFor Touch Sensitive Input Devices” filed Jan. 18, 2005; (8) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/057,050, “Display Actuator,” filed Feb. 11,2005; (9) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/658,777,“Multi-Functional Hand-Held Device,” filed Mar. 4, 2005; (10) U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/367,749, “Multi-Functional Hand-HeldDevice,” filed Mar. 3, 2006; and (11) U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/824,769, “Portable Multifunction Device,” filed Sep.6, 2006. All of these applications are incorporated by reference hereinin their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosed embodiments relate generally to portable electronicdevices, and more particularly, to portable devices that providegraphical user interfaces for managing a conference call among three ormore parties.

BACKGROUND

As portable electronic devices become more compact, and the number offunctions performed by a given device increase, it has become asignificant challenge to design a user interface that allows users toeasily interact with a multifunction device. This challenge isparticular significant for handheld portable devices, which have muchsmaller screens than desktop or laptop computers. This situation isunfortunate because the user interface is the gateway through whichusers receive not only content but also responses to user actions orbehaviors, including user attempts to access a device's features, tools,and functions. Some portable communication devices (e.g., mobiletelephones, sometimes called mobile phones, cell phones, cellulartelephones, and the like) have resorted to adding more pushbuttons,increasing the density of push buttons, overloading the functions ofpushbuttons, or using complex menu systems to allow a user to access,store and manipulate data. These conventional user interfaces oftenresult in complicated key sequences and menu hierarchies that must bememorized by the user.

Many conventional user interfaces, such as those that include physicalpushbuttons, are also inflexible. This is unfortunate because it mayprevent a user interface from being configured and/or adapted by eitheran application running on the portable device or by users. When coupledwith the time consuming requirement to memorize multiple key sequencesand menu hierarchies, and the difficulty in activating a desiredpushbutton, such inflexibility is frustrating to most users.

Many cell phones support a “conference call” feature that allows threeor more parties (corresponding to three or more phones) to participatein a single conversation simultaneously. At present, however, it isdifficult for a cell phone user to manage a conference call, includingsuch tasks as adding a new party to the conference call, removing anexisting party from the conference call, temporarily converting theconference call into a private phone call with one of the existingparties, and returning to the conference call from the private phonecall. With present devices, it is not readily apparent to a user how toperform these tasks.

Accordingly, there is a need for portable multifunction devices withmore transparent and intuitive user interfaces for managing a conferencecall between multiple parties that are easy to use, configure, and/oradapt. Such interfaces increase the effectiveness, efficiency and usersatisfaction with portable multifunction devices.

SUMMARY

The above deficiencies and other problems associated with userinterfaces for portable devices are reduced or eliminated by thedisclosed portable multifunction device. In some embodiments, the devicehas a touch-sensitive display (also known as a “touch screen”) with agraphical user interface (GUI), one or more processors, memory and oneor more modules, programs or sets of instructions stored in the memoryfor performing multiple functions. In some embodiments, the userinteracts with the GUI primarily through finger contacts and gestures onthe touch-sensitive display. In some embodiments, the functions mayinclude telephoning, video conferencing, e-mailing, instant messaging,blogging, digital photographing, digital videoing, web browsing, digitalmusic playing, and/or digital video playing. Instructions for performingthese functions may be included in a computer program product configuredfor execution by one or more processors.

One aspect of the invention involves a computer-implemented methodperformed by a portable multifunction device with a touch screendisplay. The method includes: displaying a phone call user interface onthe touch screen display. The phone call user interface includes: afirst informational item associated with an active phone call between auser of the device and a first party, a second informational itemassociated with a suspended phone call between the user and a secondparty, and a merge call icon. The method also includes: upon detecting auser selection of the merge call icon, merging the active phone call andthe suspended phone call into a conference call between the user, thefirst party, and the second party, and replacing the phone call userinterface with a conference call user interface. The conference calluser interface includes: a third informational item associated with theconference call in replacement of the first and second informationalitems, and a conference call management icon.

Another aspect of the invention involves a portable multifunction devicethat includes a touch screen display, one or more processors, memory,and one or more programs. The one or more programs are stored in thememory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors. Theprograms includes: instructions for displaying a phone call userinterface on the touch screen display, the phone call user interfaceincluding: a first informational item associated with an active phonecall between a user of the device and a first party, a secondinformational item associated with a suspended phone call between theuser and a second party, and a merge call icon; instructions for mergingthe active phone call and the suspended phone call into a conferencecall between the user, the first party, and the second party upondetecting a user selection of the merge call icon; and instructions forreplacing the phone call user interface with a conference call userinterface upon detecting the user selection of the merge call icon. Theconference call user interface includes: a third informational itemassociated with the conference call in replacement of the first andsecond informational items, and a conference call management icon.

Another aspect of the invention involves a computer-program product thatincludes a computer readable storage medium and a computer programmechanism embedded therein. The computer program mechanism includesinstructions, which when executed by a portable multifunction devicewith a touch screen display, cause the device to: display a phone calluser interface on the touch screen display, the phone call userinterface including: a first informational item associated with anactive phone call between a user of the device and a first party, asecond informational item associated with a suspended phone call betweenthe user and a second party, and a merge call icon; merge the activephone call and the suspended phone call into a conference call betweenthe user, the first party, and the second party upon detecting a userselection of the merge call icon; and replace the phone call userinterface with a conference call user interface upon detecting the userselection of the merge call icon. In some embodiments, the conferencecall user interface includes: a third informational item associated withthe conference call in replacement of the first and second informationalitems, and a conference call management icon.

Another aspect of the invention involves a phone call graphical userinterface on a portable multifunction device with a touch screendisplay. The phone call graphical user interface includes: a firstinformational item associated with an active phone call between a userof the device and a first party, a second informational item associatedwith a suspended phone call between the user and a second party, and amerge call icon. Upon detecting a user selection of the merge call icon,the active phone call and the suspended phone call are merged into aconference call between the user, the first party, and the second partyand the phone call graphical user interface is replaced with aconference call user interface. The conference call user interfaceincludes: a third informational item associated with the conference callin replacement of the first and second informational items, and aconference call management icon.

Another aspect of the invention involves a portable multifunction devicewith a touch screen display. The device includes: means for displaying aphone call user interface on the touch screen display, the phone calluser interface including: a first informational item associated with anactive phone call between a user of the device and a first party, asecond informational item associated with a suspended phone call betweenthe user and a second party, and a merge call icon; means for merging,upon detecting a user selection of the merge call icon, the active phonecall and the suspended phone call into a conference call between theuser, the first party, and the second party; and means for replacing,upon detecting the user selection of the merge call icon, the phone calluser interface with a conference call user interface. The conferencecall user interface includes: a third informational item associated withthe conference call in replacement of the first and second informationalitems, and a conference call management icon.

Thus, the invention provides a transparent and intuitive user interfacefor managing conference calls on a portable multifunction device with atouch screen display.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the aforementioned embodiments of theinvention as well as additional embodiments thereof, reference should bemade to the Description of Embodiments below, in conjunction with thefollowing drawings in which like reference numerals refer tocorresponding parts throughout the figures.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are block diagrams illustrating portable multifunctiondevices with touch-sensitive displays in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 2 illustrates a portable multifunction device having a touch screenin accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary user interface for unlocking a portableelectronic device in accordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate exemplary user interfaces for a menu ofapplications on a portable multifunction device in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for displaying anincoming phone call user interface in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for declining anincoming call in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for answering anincoming call in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for merging two phonecalls into a conference call in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for managing aconference call through a conference call management user interface inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for resuming asuspended conference call in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for suspending aconference call and initiating an outgoing call in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary dial pad interface for calling inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 13A-13P illustrate exemplary user interfaces displayed during acall in accordance with some embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of whichare illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following detaileddescription, numerous specific details are set forth in order to providea thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will beapparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present inventionmay be practiced without these specific details. In other instances,well-known methods, procedures, components, circuits, and networks havenot been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspectsof the embodiments.

It will also be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc.may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements shouldnot be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguishone element from another. For example, a first gesture could be termed asecond gesture, and, similarly, a second gesture could be termed a firstgesture, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The terminology used in the description of the invention herein is forthe purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is notintended to be limiting of the invention. As used in the description ofthe invention and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and“the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless thecontext clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that theterm “and/or” as used herein refers to and encompasses any and allpossible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Itwill be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or“comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence ofstated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/orcomponents, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or moreother features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components,and/or groups thereof.

Embodiments of a portable multifunction device, user interfaces for suchdevices, and associated processes for using such devices are described.In some embodiments, the device is a portable communications device suchas a mobile telephone that also contains other functions, such as PDAand/or music player functions.

The user interface may include a physical click wheel in addition to atouch screen or a virtual click wheel displayed on the touch screen. Aclick wheel is a user-interface device that may provide navigationcommands based on an angular displacement of the wheel or a point ofcontact with the wheel by a user of the device. A click wheel may alsobe used to provide a user command corresponding to selection of one ormore items, for example, when the user of the device presses down on atleast a portion of the wheel or the center of the wheel. Alternatively,breaking contact with a click wheel image on a touch screen surface mayindicate a user command corresponding to selection. For simplicity, inthe discussion that follows, a portable multifunction device thatincludes a touch screen is used as an exemplary embodiment. It should beunderstood, however, that some of the user interfaces and associatedprocesses may be applied to other devices, such as personal computersand laptop computers, which may include one or more other physicaluser-interface devices, such as a physical click wheel, a physicalkeyboard, a mouse and/or a joystick.

The device supports a variety of applications, such as a telephoneapplication, a video conferencing application, an e-mail application, aninstant messaging application, a blogging application, a digital cameraapplication, a digital video camera application, a web browsingapplication, a digital music player application, and/or a digital videoplayer application.

The various applications that may be executed on the device may use atleast one common physical user-interface device, such as the touchscreen. One or more functions of the touch screen as well ascorresponding information displayed on the device may be adjusted and/orvaried from one application to the next and/or within a respectiveapplication. In this way, a common physical architecture (such as thetouch screen) of the device may support the variety of applications withuser interfaces that are intuitive and transparent.

The user interfaces may include one or more soft keyboard embodiments.The soft keyboard embodiments may include standard (QWERTY) and/ornon-standard configurations of symbols on the displayed icons of thekeyboard, such as those described in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos.11/459,606, “Keyboards For Portable Electronic Devices,” filed Jul. 24,2006, and 11/459,615, “Touch Screen Keyboards For Portable ElectronicDevices,” filed Jul. 24, 2006, the contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference herein in their entirety. The keyboardembodiments may include a reduced number of icons (or soft keys)relative to the number of keys in existing physical keyboards, such asthat for a typewriter. This may make it easier for users to select oneor more icons in the keyboard, and thus, one or more correspondingsymbols. The keyboard embodiments may be adaptive. For example,displayed icons may be modified in accordance with user actions, such asselecting one or more icons and/or one or more corresponding symbols.One or more applications on the portable device may utilize commonand/or different keyboard embodiments. Thus, the keyboard embodimentused may be tailored to at least some of the applications. In someembodiments, one or more keyboard embodiments may be tailored to arespective user. For example, one or more keyboard embodiments may betailored to a respective user based on a word usage history(lexicography, slang, individual usage) of the respective user. Some ofthe keyboard embodiments may be adjusted to reduce a probability of auser error when selecting one or more icons, and thus one or moresymbols, when using the soft keyboard embodiments.

Attention is now directed towards embodiments of the device. FIGS. 1Aand 1B are block diagrams illustrating portable multifunction devices100 with touch-sensitive displays 112 in accordance with someembodiments. The touch-sensitive display 112 is sometimes called a“touch screen” for convenience, and may also be known as or called atouch-sensitive display system. The device 100 may include a memory 102(which may include one or more computer readable storage mediums), amemory controller 122, one or more processing units (CPU's) 120, aperipherals interface 118, RF circuitry 108, audio circuitry 110, aspeaker 111, a microphone 113, an input/output (I/O) subsystem 106,other input or control devices 116, and an external port 124. The device100 may include one or more optical sensors 164. These components maycommunicate over one or more communication buses or signal lines 103.

It should be appreciated that the device 100 is only one example of aportable multifunction device 100, and that the device 100 may have moreor fewer components than shown, may combine two or more components, or amay have a different configuration or arrangement of the components. Thevarious components shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B may be implemented inhardware, software or a combination of both hardware and software,including one or more signal processing and/or application specificintegrated circuits.

Memory 102 may include high-speed random access memory and may alsoinclude non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic disk storagedevices, flash memory devices, or other non-volatile solid-state memorydevices. Access to memory 102 by other components of the device 100,such as the CPU 120 and the peripherals interface 118, may be controlledby the memory controller 122.

The peripherals interface 118 couples the input and output peripheralsof the device to the CPU 120 and memory 102. The one or more processors120 run or execute various software programs and/or sets of instructionsstored in memory 102 to perform various functions for the device 100 andto process data.

In some embodiments, the peripherals interface 118, the CPU 120, and thememory controller 122 may be implemented on a single chip, such as achip 104. In some other embodiments, they may be implemented on separatechips.

The RF (radio frequency) circuitry 108 receives and sends RF signals,also called electromagnetic signals. The RF circuitry 108 convertselectrical signals to/from electromagnetic signals and communicates withcommunications networks and other communications devices via theelectromagnetic signals. The RF circuitry 108 may include well-knowncircuitry for performing these functions, including but not limited toan antenna system, an RF transceiver, one or more amplifiers, a tuner,one or more oscillators, a digital signal processor, a CODEC chipset, asubscriber identity module (SIM) card, memory, and so forth. The RFcircuitry 108 may communicate with networks, such as the Internet, alsoreferred to as the World Wide Web (WWW), an intranet and/or a wirelessnetwork, such as a cellular telephone network, a wireless local areanetwork (LAN) and/or a metropolitan area network (MAN), and otherdevices by wireless communication. The wireless communication may useany of a plurality of communications standards, protocols andtechnologies, including but not limited to Global System for MobileCommunications (GSM), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), high-speeddownlink packet access (HSDPA), wideband code division multiple access(W-CDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multipleaccess (TDMA), Bluetooth, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) (e.g., IEEE 802.11a,IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g and/or IEEE 802.11n), voice over InternetProtocol (VoIP), Wi-MAX, a protocol for email (e.g., Internet messageaccess protocol (IMAP) and/or post office protocol (POP)), instantmessaging (e.g., extensible messaging and presence protocol (XMPP),Session Initiation Protocol for Instant Messaging and PresenceLeveraging Extensions (SIMPLE), and/or Instant Messaging and PresenceService (IMPS)), and/or Short Message Service (SMS)), or any othersuitable communication protocol, including communication protocols notyet developed as of the filing date of this document.

The audio circuitry 110, the speaker 111, and the microphone 113 providean audio interface between a user and the device 100. The audiocircuitry 110 receives audio data from the peripherals interface 118,converts the audio data to an electrical signal, and transmits theelectrical signal to the speaker 111. The speaker 111 converts theelectrical signal to human-audible sound waves. The audio circuitry 110also receives electrical signals converted by the microphone 113 fromsound waves. The audio circuitry 110 converts the electrical signal toaudio data and transmits the audio data to the peripherals interface 118for processing. Audio data may be retrieved from and/or transmitted tomemory 102 and/or the RF circuitry 108 by the peripherals interface 118.In some embodiments, the audio circuitry 110 also includes a headsetjack (e.g. 212, FIG. 2). The headset jack provides an interface betweenthe audio circuitry 110 and removable audio input/output peripherals,such as output-only headphones or a headset with both output (e.g., aheadphone for one or both ears) and input (e.g., a microphone).

The I/O subsystem 106 couples input/output peripherals on the device100, such as the touch screen 112 and other input/control devices 116,to the peripherals interface 118. The I/O subsystem 106 may include adisplay controller 156 and one or more input controllers 160 for otherinput or control devices. The one or more input controllers 160receive/send electrical signals from/to other input or control devices116. The other input/control devices 116 may include physical buttons(e.g., push buttons, rocker buttons, etc.), dials, slider switches,joysticks, click wheels, and so forth. In some alternate embodiments,input controller(s) 160 may be coupled to any (or none) of thefollowing: a keyboard, infrared port, USB port, and a pointer devicesuch as a mouse. The one or more buttons (e.g., 208, FIG. 2) may includean up/down button for volume control of the speaker 111 and/or themicrophone 113. The one or more buttons may include a push button (e.g.,206, FIG. 2). A quick press of the push button may disengage a lock ofthe touch screen 112 or begin a process that uses gestures on the touchscreen to unlock the device, as described in U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/322,549, “Unlocking a Device by Performing Gestures on anUnlock Image,” filed Dec. 23, 2005, which is hereby incorporated byreference herein in its entirety. A longer press of the push button(e.g., 206) may turn power to the device 100 on or off. The user may beable to customize a functionality of one or more of the buttons. Thetouch screen 112 is used to implement virtual or soft buttons and one ormore soft keyboards.

The touch-sensitive touch screen 112 provides an input interface and anoutput interface between the device and a user. The display controller156 receives and/or sends electrical signals from/to the touch screen112. The touch screen 112 displays visual output to the user. The visualoutput may include graphics, text, icons, video, and any combinationthereof (collectively termed “graphics”). In some embodiments, some orall of the visual output may correspond to user-interface objects,further details of which are described below.

A touch screen 112 has a touch-sensitive surface, sensor or set ofsensors that accepts input from the user based on haptic and/or tactilecontact. The touch screen 112 and the display controller 156 (along withany associated modules and/or sets of instructions in memory 102) detectcontact (and any movement or breaking of the contact) on the touchscreen 112 and converts the detected contact into interaction withuser-interface objects (e.g., one or more soft keys, icons, web pages orimages) that are displayed on the touch screen. In an exemplaryembodiment, a point of contact between a touch screen 112 and the usercorresponds to a finger of the user.

The touch screen 112 may use LCD (liquid crystal display) technology, orLPD (light emitting polymer display) technology, although other displaytechnologies may be used in other embodiments. The touch screen 112 andthe display controller 156 may detect contact and any movement orbreaking thereof using any of a plurality of touch sensing technologiesnow known or later developed, including but not limited to capacitive,resistive, infrared, and surface acoustic wave technologies, as well asother proximity sensor arrays or other elements for determining one ormore points of contact with a touch screen 112.

A touch-sensitive display in some embodiments of the touch screen 112may be analogous to the multi-touch sensitive tablets described in thefollowing U.S. Pat. Nos.: 6,323,846 (Westerman et al.), 6,570,557(Westerman et al.), and/or 6,677,932 (Westerman), and/or U.S. PatentPublication 2002/0015024A1, each of which is hereby incorporated byreference herein in their entirety. However, a touch screen 112 displaysvisual output from the portable device 100, whereas touch sensitivetablets do not provide visual output.

A touch-sensitive display in some embodiments of the touch screen 112may be as described in the following applications: (1) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/381,313, “Multipoint Touch Surface Controller,”filed May 2, 2006; (2) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/840,862,“Multipoint Touchscreen,” filed May 6, 2004; (3) U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/903,964, “Gestures For Touch Sensitive Input Devices,” filedJul. 30, 2004; (4) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/048,264,“Gestures For Touch Sensitive Input Devices,” filed Jan. 31, 2005; (5)U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/038,590, “Mode-Based Graphical UserInterfaces For Touch Sensitive Input Devices,” filed Jan. 18, 2005; (6)U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/228,758, “Virtual Input DevicePlacement On A Touch Screen User Interface,” filed Sep. 16, 2005; (7)U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/228,700, “Operation Of A ComputerWith A Touch Screen Interface,” filed Sep. 16, 2005; (8) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/228,737, “Activating Virtual Keys Of ATouch-Screen Virtual Keyboard,” filed Sep. 16, 2005; and (9) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/367,749, “Multi-Functional Hand-Held Device,”filed Mar. 3, 2006. All of these applications are incorporated byreference herein in their entirety.

The touch screen 112 may have a resolution in excess of 100 dpi. In anexemplary embodiment, the touch screen has a resolution of approximately160 dpi. The user may make contact with the touch screen 112 using anysuitable object or appendage, such as a stylus, a finger, and so forth.In some embodiments, the user interface is designed to work primarilywith finger-based contacts and gestures, which are much less precisethan stylus-based input due to the larger area of contact of a finger onthe touch screen. In some embodiments, the device translates the roughfinger-based input into a precise pointer/cursor position or command forperforming the actions desired by the user.

In some embodiments, in addition to the touch screen, the device 100 mayinclude a touchpad (not shown) for activating or deactivating particularfunctions. In some embodiments, the touchpad is a touch-sensitive areaof the device that, unlike the touch screen, does not display visualoutput. The touchpad may be a touch-sensitive surface that is separatefrom the touch screen 112 or an extension of the touch-sensitive surfaceformed by the touch screen.

In some embodiments, the device 100 may include a physical or virtualclick wheel as an input control device 116. A user may navigate amongand interact with one or more graphical objects (henceforth referred toas icons) displayed in the touch screen 112 by rotating the click wheelor by moving a point of contact with the click wheel (e.g., where theamount of movement of the point of contact is measured by its angulardisplacement with respect to a center point of the click wheel). Theclick wheel may also be used to select one or more of the displayedicons. For example, the user may press down on at least a portion of theclick wheel or an associated button. User commands and navigationcommands provided by the user via the click wheel may be processed by aninput controller 160 as well as one or more of the modules and/or setsof instructions in memory 102. For a virtual click wheel, the clickwheel and click wheel controller may be part of the touch screen 112 andthe display controller 156, respectively. For a virtual click wheel, theclick wheel may be either an opaque or semitransparent object thatappears and disappears on the touch screen display in response to userinteraction with the device. In some embodiments, a virtual click wheelis displayed on the touch screen of a portable multifunction device andoperated by user contact with the touch screen.

The device 100 also includes a power system 162 for powering the variouscomponents. The power system 162 may include a power management system,one or more power sources (e.g., battery, alternating current (AC)), arecharging system, a power failure detection circuit, a power converteror inverter, a power status indicator (e.g., a light-emitting diode(LED)) and any other components associated with the generation,management and distribution of power in portable devices.

The device 100 may also include one or more optical sensors 164. FIGS.1A and 1B show an optical sensor coupled to an optical sensor controller158 in I/O subsystem 106. The optical sensor 164 may includecharge-coupled device (CCD) or complementary metal-oxide semiconductor(CMOS) phototransistors. The optical sensor 164 receives light from theenvironment, projected through one or more lens, and converts the lightto data representing an image. In conjunction with an imaging module 143(also called a camera module), the optical sensor 164 may capture stillimages or video. In some embodiments, an optical sensor is located onthe back of the device 100, opposite the touch screen display 112 on thefront of the device, so that the touch screen display may be used as aviewfinder for either still and/or video image acquisition. In someembodiments, an optical sensor is located on the front of the device sothat the user's image may be obtained for videoconferencing while theuser views the other video conference participants on the touch screendisplay. In some embodiments, the position of the optical sensor 164 canbe changed by the user (e.g., by rotating the lens and the sensor in thedevice housing) so that a single optical sensor 164 may be used alongwith the touch screen display for both video conferencing and stilland/or video image acquisition.

The device 100 may also include one or more proximity sensors 166. FIGS.1A and 1B show a proximity sensor 166 coupled to the peripheralsinterface 118. Alternately, the proximity sensor 166 may be coupled toan input controller 160 in the I/O subsystem 106. The proximity sensor166 may perform as described in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos.11/241,839, “Proximity Detector In Handheld Device,” filed Sep. 30,2005; No. 11/240,788, “Proximity Detector In Handheld Device,” filedSep. 30, 2005; Serial No. to be determined, filed Jan. 7, 2007, “UsingAmbient Light Sensor To Augment Proximity Sensor Output,” attorneydocket no. 04860.P4851US1; Serial No. to be determined, filed Oct. 24,2006, “Automated Response To And Sensing Of User Activity In PortableDevices,” attorney docket no. 04860.P4293; and Serial No. to bedetermined, filed Dec. 12, 2006, “Methods And Systems For AutomaticConfiguration Of Peripherals,” attorney docket no. 04860.P4634, whichare hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. In someembodiments, the proximity sensor turns off and disables the touchscreen 112 when the multifunction device is placed near the user's ear(e.g., when the user is making a phone call). In some embodiments, theproximity sensor keeps the screen off when the device is in the user'spocket, purse, or other dark area to prevent unnecessary batterydrainage when the device is a locked state.

The device 100 may also include one or more accelerometers 168. FIGS. 1Aand 1B show an accelerometer 168 coupled to the peripherals interface118. Alternately, the accelerometer 168 may be coupled to an inputcontroller 160 in the I/O subsystem 106. The accelerometer 168 mayperform as described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20050190059,“Acceleration-based Theft Detection System for Portable ElectronicDevices,” and U.S. Patent Publication No. 20060017692, “Methods AndApparatuses For Operating A Portable Device Based On An Accelerometer,”both of which are which are incorporated herein by reference. In someembodiments, information is displayed on the touch screen display in aportrait view or a landscape view based on an analysis of data receivedfrom the one or more accelerometers.

In some embodiments, the software components stored in memory 102 mayinclude an operating system 126, a communication module (or set ofinstructions) 128, a contact/motion module (or set of instructions) 130,a graphics module (or set of instructions) 132, a text input module (orset of instructions) 134, a Global Positioning System (GPS) module (orset of instructions) 135, and applications (or set of instructions) 136.

The operating system 126 (e.g., Darwin, RTXC, LINUX, UNIX, OS X,WINDOWS, or an embedded operating system such as VxWorks) includesvarious software components and/or drivers for controlling and managinggeneral system tasks (e.g., memory management, storage device control,power management, etc.) and facilitates communication between varioushardware and software components.

The communication module 128 facilitates communication with otherdevices over one or more external ports 124 and also includes varioussoftware components for handling data received by the RF circuitry 108and/or the external port 124. The external port 124 (e.g., UniversalSerial Bus (USB), FIREWIRE, etc.) is adapted for coupling directly toother devices or indirectly over a network (e.g., the Internet, wirelessLAN, etc.). In some embodiments, the external port is a multi-pin (e.g.,30-pin) connector that is the same as, or similar to and/or compatiblewith the 30-pin connector used on iPod (trademark of Apple Computer,Inc.) devices.

The contact/motion module 130 may detect contact with the touch screen112 (in conjunction with the display controller 156) and other touchsensitive devices (e.g., a touchpad or physical click wheel). Thecontact/motion module 130 includes various software components forperforming various operations related to detection of contact, such asdetermining if contact has occurred, determining if there is movement ofthe contact and tracking the movement across the touch screen 112, anddetermining if the contact has been broken (i.e., if the contact hasceased). Determining movement of the point of contact may includedetermining speed (magnitude), velocity (magnitude and direction),and/or an acceleration (a change in magnitude and/or direction) of thepoint of contact. These operations may be applied to single contacts(e.g., one finger contacts) or to multiple simultaneous contacts (e.g.,“multitouch”/multiple finger contacts). In some embodiments, thecontact/motion module 130 and the display controller 156 also detectscontact on a touchpad. In some embodiments, the contact/motion module130 and the controller 160 detects contact on a click wheel.

The graphics module 132 includes various known software components forrendering and displaying graphics on the touch screen 112, includingcomponents for changing the intensity of graphics that are displayed. Asused herein, the term “graphics” includes any object that can bedisplayed to a user, including without limitation text, web pages, icons(such as user-interface objects including soft keys), digital images,videos, animations and the like.

The text input module 134, which may be a component of graphics module132, provides soft keyboards for entering text in various applications(e.g., contacts 137, e-mail 140, IM 141, blogging 142, browser 147, andany other application that needs text input).

The GPS module 135 determines the location of the device and providesthis information for use in various applications (e.g., to telephone 138for use in location-based dialing, to camera 143 and/or blogger 142 aspicture/video metadata, and to applications that provide location-basedservices such as weather widgets, local yellow page widgets, andmap/navigation widgets).

The applications 136 may include the following modules (or sets ofinstructions), or a subset or superset thereof:

-   -   a contacts module 137 (sometimes called an address book or        contact list);    -   a telephone module 138;    -   a video conferencing module 139;    -   an e-mail client module 140;    -   an instant messaging (IM) module 141;    -   a blogging module 142;    -   a camera module 143 for still and/or video images;    -   an image management module 144;    -   a video player module 145;    -   a music player module 146;    -   a browser module 147;    -   a calendar module 148;    -   widget modules 149, which may include weather widget 149-1,        stocks widget 149-2, calculator widget 149-3, alarm clock widget        149-4, dictionary widget 149-5, and other widgets obtained by        the user, as well as user-created widgets 149-6;    -   widget creator module 150 for making user-created widgets 149-6;    -   search module 151;    -   video and music player module 152, which merges video player        module 145 and music player module 146;    -   notes module 153; and/or    -   map module 154.

Examples of other applications 136 that may be stored in memory 102include other word processing applications, JAVA-enabled applications,encryption, digital rights management, voice recognition, and voicereplication.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, audio circuitry 110, speaker 111,microphone 113, touch screen 112, display controller 156, contact module130, graphics module 132, and text input module 134, the telephonemodule 138 may be used to enter a sequence of characters correspondingto a telephone number, access one or more telephone numbers in theaddress book 137, modify a telephone number that has been entered, diala respective telephone number, conduct a conversation with another partyor with multiple parties (i.e., a conference call) and disconnect orhang up when the conversation is completed. As noted above, the wirelesscommunication may use any of a plurality of communications standards,protocols and technologies. Embodiments of user interfaces andassociated processes using telephone module 138 are described furtherbelow.

Each of the above identified modules and applications correspond to aset of instructions for performing one or more functions describedabove. These modules (i.e., sets of instructions) need not beimplemented as separate software programs, procedures or modules, andthus various subsets of these modules may be combined or otherwisere-arranged in various embodiments. For example, video player module 145may be combined with music player module 146 into a single module (e.g.,video and music player module 152, FIG. 1B). In some embodiments, memory102 may store a subset of the modules and data structures identifiedabove. Furthermore, memory 102 may store additional modules and datastructures not described above.

In some embodiments, the device 100 is a device where operation of apredefined set of functions on the device is performed exclusivelythrough a touch screen 112 and/or a touchpad. By using a touch screenand/or a touchpad as the primary input/control device for operation ofthe device 100, the number of physical input/control devices (such aspush buttons, dials, and the like) on the device 100 may be reduced.

The predefined set of functions that may be performed exclusivelythrough a touch screen and/or a touchpad include navigation between userinterfaces. In some embodiments, the touchpad, when touched by the user,navigates the device 100 to a main, home, or root menu from any userinterface that may be displayed on the device 100. In such embodiments,the touchpad may be referred to as a “menu button.” In some otherembodiments, the menu button may be a physical push button or otherphysical input/control device instead of a touchpad.

FIG. 2 illustrates a portable multifunction device 100 having a touchscreen 112 in accordance with some embodiments. The touch screen maydisplay one or more graphics within user interface (UI) 200. In thisembodiment, as well as others described below, a user may select one ormore of the graphics by making contact or touching the graphics, forexample, with one or more fingers 202 (not drawn to scale in thefigure). In some embodiments, selection of one or more graphics occurswhen the user breaks contact with the one or more graphics. In someembodiments, the contact may include a gesture, such as one or moretaps, one or more swipes (from left to right, right to left, upwardand/or downward) and/or a rolling of a finger (from right to left, leftto right, upward and/or downward) that has made contact with the device100. In some embodiments, inadvertent contact with a graphic may notselect the graphic. For example, a swipe gesture that sweeps over anapplication icon may not select the corresponding application when thegesture corresponding to selection is a tap.

The device 100 may also include one or more physical buttons, such as“home” or menu button 204. As described previously, the menu button 204may be used to navigate to any application 136 in a set of applicationsthat may be executed on the device 100. Alternatively, in someembodiments, the menu button is implemented as a soft key in a GUI intouch screen 112.

In one embodiment, the device 100 includes a touch screen 112, a menubutton 204, a push button 206 for powering the device on/off and lockingthe device, volume adjustment button(s) 208, a Subscriber IdentityModule (SIM) card slot 210, a head set jack 212, and a docking/chargingexternal port 124. The push button 206 may be used to turn the poweron/off on the device by depressing the button and holding the button inthe depressed state for a predefined time interval; to lock the deviceby depressing the button and releasing the button before the predefinedtime interval has elapsed; and/or to unlock the device or initiate anunlock process. In an alternative embodiment, the device 100 also mayaccept verbal input for activation or deactivation of some functionsthrough the microphone 113.

Attention is now directed towards embodiments of user interfaces (“UI”)and associated processes that may be implemented on a portablemultifunction device 100.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary user interface for unlocking a portableelectronic device in accordance with some embodiments. In someembodiments, user interface 300 includes the following elements, or asubset or superset thereof:

Unlock image 302 that is moved with a finger gesture to unlock thedevice;

Arrow 304 that provides a visual cue to the unlock gesture;

Channel 306 that provides additional cues to the unlock gesture;

Time 308;

Day 310;

Date 312; and

Wallpaper image 314.

In some embodiments, the device detects contact with the touch-sensitivedisplay (e.g., a user's finger making contact on or near the unlockimage 302) while the device is in a user-interface lock state. Thedevice moves the unlock image 302 in accordance with the contact. Thedevice transitions to a user-interface unlock state if the detectedcontact corresponds to a predefined gesture, such as moving the unlockimage across channel 306. Conversely, the device maintains theuser-interface lock state if the detected contact does not correspond tothe predefined gesture. As noted above, processes that use gestures onthe touch screen to unlock the device are described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. Nos. 11/322,549, “Unlocking A Device By PerformingGestures On An Unlock Image,” filed Dec. 23, 2005, and 11/322,550,“Indication Of Progress Towards Satisfaction Of A User Input Condition,”filed Dec. 23, 2005, which are hereby incorporated by reference hereinin their entirety.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate exemplary user interfaces for a menu ofapplications on a portable multifunction device in accordance with someembodiments. In some embodiments, user interface 400A includes thefollowing elements, or a subset or superset thereof:

-   -   Signal strength indicator(s) 402 for wireless communication(s),        such as cellular and Wi-Fi signals;    -   Time 404;    -   Battery status indicator 406;    -   Tray 408 with icons for frequently used applications, such as        one or more of the following:        -   Phone 138, which may include an indicator 414 of the number            of missed calls or voicemail messages;        -   E-mail client 140, which may include an indicator 410 of the            number of unread e-mails;        -   Browser 147; and        -   Music player 146; and    -   Icons for other applications, such as one or more of the        following:        -   IM 141;        -   Image management 144;        -   Camera 143;        -   Video player 145;        -   Weather 149-1;        -   Stocks 149-2;        -   Blog 142;        -   Calendar 148;        -   Calculator 149-3;        -   Alarm clock 149-4;        -   Dictionary 149-5; and        -   User-created widget 149-6.

In some embodiments, user interface 400B includes the followingelements, or a subset or superset thereof:

-   -   402, 404, 406, 141, 148, 144, 143, 149-3, 149-2, 149-1, 149-4,        410, 414, 138, 140, and 147, as described above;    -   Map 154;    -   Notes 153;    -   Settings 412, which provides access to settings for the device        100 and its various applications 136; and    -   Video and music player module 152, also referred to as iPod        (trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.) module 152.

In some embodiments, UI 400A or 400B displays all of the availableapplications 136 on one screen so that there is no need to scrollthrough a list of applications (e.g., via a scroll bar). In someembodiments, as the number of applications increase, the iconscorresponding to the applications may decrease in size so that allapplications may be displayed on a single screen without scrolling. Insome embodiments, having all applications on one screen and a menubutton enables a user to access any desired application with at most twoinputs, such as activating the menu button 204 and then activating thedesired application (e.g., by a tap or other finger gesture on the iconcorresponding to the application).

In some embodiments, UI 400A or 400B provides integrated access to bothwidget-based applications and non-widget-based applications. In someembodiments, all of the widgets, whether user-created or not, aredisplayed in UI 400A or 400B. In other embodiments, activating the iconfor user-created widget 149-6 may lead to another UI that contains theuser-created widgets or icons corresponding to the user-created widgets.

In some embodiments, a user may rearrange the icons in UI 400A or 400B,e.g., using processes described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/459,602, “Portable Electronic Device With Interface ReconfigurationMode,” filed Jul. 24, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety. For example, a user may move application iconsin and out of tray 408 using finger gestures.

In some embodiments, UI 400A or 400B includes a gauge (not shown) thatdisplays an updated account usage metric for an account associated withusage of the device (e.g., a cellular phone account), as described inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/322,552, “Account InformationDisplay For Portable Communication Device,” filed Dec. 23, 2005, whichis hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

In the discussion of FIGS. 5-13 below and in the claims, several userinterfaces on the touch screen display are referred to, including a“phone call” user interface; a “conference call” user interface; a“conference call management” user interface; and an “incoming phonecall” user interface. These user interfaces could equivalently bereferred to as a first user interface, a second user interface, a thirduser interface, and a fourth user interface, respectively. The firstuser interface (i.e., the phone call user interface) includes a mergecall icon and informational items associated with separate calls. Thesecond user interface (i.e., the conference call user interface)includes an informational item associated with the conference call and aconference call management icon (i.e., an icon that when activated by afinger tap or other gesture brings up the display of the third userinterface, the conference call management interface). The third userinterface (i.e., the conference call management user interface) includesmanagement entries corresponding to the other parties in the conferencecall, one or more end call icons and one or more private call icons. Thefourth user interface (i.e., the incoming call user interface) includesan ignore incoming phone call icon, a suspend current phone call andanswer incoming phone call icon, and an end current phone call andanswer incoming phone call icon. For clarity and ease of discussion,these interfaces will be referred to in the specification and claims bythe labels “phone call,” “conference call,” “conference callmanagement,” and “incoming call,” rather than by the labels first,second, third, and fourth.

In some embodiments, a respective information item associated with atelephone call or conference call includes both a call descriptor (e.g.,a name of the other party to the call, a telephone number, or a labelsuch as “conference”) and a call status indicator, such as a callduration value (e.g., “00:05”) or call status (e.g., “Hold” or “OnHold”). However, in some embodiments or some interfaces, a respectiveinformation item may include the descriptor, or the status indicator,but not both.

FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary dial pad interface for calling inaccordance with some embodiments. In response to the user activating thenumber keys in dial pad 2902 (e.g., by finger taps on the number icons),the touch pad displays the selected digits 2904. In some embodiments,the phone module 138 automatically adds the parentheses and dashes tothe selected digits to make the number easier to read. In response tothe user activating the call icon 2906, the phone module 138 dials ortransmits the selected digits. In response to the user activating thecreate contact icon 2908, numbers entered with the touchpad may be usedin a new contact or added to an existing contact.

In some embodiments, the device performs location-based dialing, whichsimplifies dialing when the user is located outside his/her home countryand/or is trying to dial a destination number outside his/her homecountry.

Additional description of location-based dialing can be found in U.S.Patent Application No. 60/883,800, “Method, Device, And Graphical UserInterface For Location-Based Dialing,” filed Jan. 7, 2007, the contentof which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

In some embodiments, a user of the device 100 may want to create aconference call that involves the user and at least two other parties.For ease of discussion, assume that the user initiates a call with asecond party. After the second party associated with the user-enteredphone number answers the phone call, a connection is made between theuser and the second party and the two sides can have a conversation.Then, assume the device 100 receives an incoming call from a firstparty.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for displaying anincoming phone call user interface in accordance with some embodiments.Following the establishment of a connection (e.g., between the user andthe second party), the device 100 displays a phone call user interfaceon the touch screen display (501). An exemplary phone call userinterface 3000B is shown in FIG. 13B, which is described in more detailbelow. In some embodiments, the UI 3000B includes an add call icon 3018.The user can select this icon to start a new phone call with anotherparty without terminating the phone call with the second party (whichmay be temporarily suspended). Subsequently, the user can merge the twophone calls into a conference call among the three parties.

While the phone call between the user and the second party is active,the device 100 receives a new incoming call from a first party (502). Toalert the user of the incoming call, the device 100 replaces the phonecall user interface with an incoming phone call user interface (503).Note that the user interface change does not suspend or terminate theongoing phone call between the user and the second party. An exemplaryincoming phone call user interface 3000C is shown in FIG. 13C, which isdescribed in more detail below. In some embodiments, the UI 3000Cincludes an “ignore” icon 3026, a “hold call+answer” icon 3028, and an“end call+answer” icon 3030, each icon corresponding to a predefined setof operations. Other labels that indicate the ignore, hold call+answer,and end call+answer functions may also be used on icons 3026, 3028, and3030, respectively.

To determine which, if any, icon is selected by the user and thereforewhat operations to perform, the device 100 monitors the next usercontact with the touch screen display (504). For example, a finger tapor other predefined gesture on the “ignore” icon (506) indicates thatthe user chooses to continue the phone call with the second party andnot to answer the incoming call.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for declining anincoming call in accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments,the device 100 simply terminates the incoming call from the first party.In some other embodiments, the device 100 optionally provides avoicemail service for the first party to leave a voicemail message forthe user (602). In either case, the incoming phone call user interface3000C is replaced with the previous phone call user interface 3000B(606). Accordingly, the user continues the phone call with the secondparty while the device 100 monitors the next user contact with the touchscreen display (608). In some embodiments, substantially the sameprocess described above applies when the user is having a conferencecall with multiple parties, an incoming call arrives, and the userdeclines the incoming call.

In some embodiments, the device 100 detects the user's finger tap orother predefined gesture on the “end call+answer” icon (514), suggestingthat the user chooses to terminate the phone call with the second partyand answer the incoming call from the first party.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for answering anincoming call after user selection of the “end call+answer” icon inaccordance with some embodiments. Typically, the user selection of the“end call+answer” icon happens after the user notifies the second partyof its intention to answer the incoming call. The device 100 first endsthe phone call with the second party (702) and then starts the phonecall with the first party (704). The incoming phone call user interface3000C is replaced with a new phone call user interface with the firstparty (706). An exemplary phone call user interface 3000D is similar tothe UI 3000B except that the second party's phone number is replaced bythe first party's name “Arlene Bascom.” A more detailed description ofthe UI 3000D is provided below in connection with FIG. 13D. The userstarts the conversation with the first user and the device 100 continuesmonitoring the next user contact with the touch screen display (708). Insome embodiments, substantially the same process described above applieswhen the user is having a conference call with multiple parties, anincoming call arrives, and the user ends the conference call and answersthe incoming call.

In some embodiments, the user may choose to answer the incoming callafter temporarily suspending (but not completely terminating) the phonecall with the second party by selecting the “hold call+answer” icon(510). After conversing with the first party, the user may merge the twoseparate phone calls—the active call with the first party and thesuspended call with the second party—into a conference call so that thethree parties can talk with each other simultaneously.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for merging two phonecalls into a conference call in accordance with some embodiments. Inresponse to a user selection of the “hold call+answer” icon, the device100 first suspends the phone call with the second party (802) and thenactivates the phone call with the first party (804). The incoming phonecall user interface is replaced with a new phone call interface (806).In some embodiments, the new phone call user interface includes a firstinformational item corresponding to the active phone call with the firstparty, a second informational item corresponding to the suspended phonecall with the second party, and a merge call icon. An exemplary phonecall user interface 3000E is shown in FIG. 13E. The position previouslyoccupied by the add caller icon 3018 may now be occupied by the mergecall icon 3038.

After talking with the first party while the second party is on hold,the user may decide to get the second party involved in a conferencecall by a tap or other gesture on the merge call icon. In response, thedevice 100 merges the two phone calls into a three-party conference call(808). A conference call user interface is displayed on the touch screendisplay (810) and the device 100 monitors the next user contact with thetouch screen display (812). In some embodiments, the conference calluser interface includes: a third informational item (e.g., 3042, FIG.13G) associated with the conference call in replacement of the first andsecond informational items in the previous phone call user interface, aswell as a conference call management icon (e.g., 3044, FIG. 13G). Insome embodiments, the conference call user interface also displays theadd call icon 3018. An exemplary user interface 3000G is shown in FIG.13G. The third informational item 3042 at the top of the UI 3000Gindicates that a conference call of which the user is one participant isin progress. In some embodiments, substantially the same processdescribed above applies when the user is having a conference call withmultiple parties, an incoming call arrives, and the user suspends theconference call, answers the incoming call and then merges the incomingcall with the conference call.

In some embodiments, in addition to merging separate calls (which mayinclude a conference call) into a new conference call, the user may alsobe able to remove a party from the conference call or temporarilyconvert the conference call into a private call with a particular partyby selecting a conference call management icon and using a conferencecall management user interface.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for managing aconference call through a conference call management user interface inaccordance with some embodiments. Upon detecting a user selection of theconference call management icon, the device 100 replaces the conferencecall user interface with a conference call management user interface(902). In some embodiments, the conference call management userinterface includes one entry associated with the first party, anotherentry associated with the second party, and so on for each party (otherthan the user) in the conference call. In some embodiments, each entryhas an end call icon and a private call icon. In some embodiments (notshown), a single end call icon and a single private call icon areassociated with an entry when the entry is highlighted in the conferencecall management user interface. An exemplary conference call managementuser interface 3000H is shown in FIG. 13H. Note that the conference callamong the three or more parties is not affected by the user interfacechange from the conference call user interface to the conference callmanagement user interface on the device's touch screen display.

The device 100 monitors the next user contact with the touch screendisplay (904). For example, in response to a user selection of the endcall icon associated with the first party, the device 100 drops thefirst party from the conference call (905) and the corresponding entryfrom the conference call management user interface (906). Note that thedevice 100 may perform the two operations 905 and 906 in a differentorder. In some embodiments, the device first displays a confirmationicon on the touch screen display in response to the user selection ofthe end call icon associated with the first party and then removes thefirst party and the corresponding management entry from the conferencecall management user interface after a user selection of theconfirmation icon. If the user, the first party, and the second partywere the only participants in the conference call, the conference callbecomes a private phone call between the user and the second party. Thedevice then monitors the next user contact with the touch screen display(912). In some embodiments, the device 100 also replaces the conferencecall user interface with the phone call user interface 3000B.

In some embodiments, upon detecting a user selection of the private callicon of the management entry associated with the second party, thedevice 100 suspends the conference call and replaces it with a privatecall between the user and the second party (908). The conference callmanagement user interface is replaced with a phone call user interfacethat has a merge call icon (910). In some embodiments, the phone calluser interface includes a fourth informational item associated with thesuspended phone call between the user and the first party, a fifthinformational item associated with the active phone call between theuser and the second party, and a merge call icon. An exemplary userinterface 3000J is shown in FIG. 13J. The UI 3000J is the same as the UI3000E icon except that the informational item associated with the firstparty “Arlene Bascom” is now grayed out (indicating that Arlen Bascom ison hold) and the informational item associated with the second party“(650) 132-2234” is highlighted (indicating that the user is having aseparate call with (650) 132-2234).

As noted above, the user selection of a private call icon merelysuspends the conference call. The user can resume the conference call byhitting the merge call icon.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for resuming asuspended conference call in accordance with some embodiments. Inresponse to a user selection of the merge call icon, the device resumesthe conference call (1002) and replaces the previous phone call userinterface with a conference call user interface (1004). An exemplaryconference call user interface 3000G is shown in FIG. 13G. The device100 monitors the next user contact with the touch screen display (1006).

As noted above, a conference call may be formed by merging an existingphone call with an incoming call or an outgoing call. The existing callitself may be a phone call between two individual parties or aconference call among three or more parties.

The user may choose to add a new party to an existing conference call byselecting the add call icon (e.g., 3018, FIG. 13G). In some embodiments,adding a caller to a conference call involves: suspending the conferencecall; starting a new phone call with the new party; and merging thesuspended conference call and the new call into a conference call thatincludes the new party.

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for suspending aconference call and initiating an outgoing call in accordance with someembodiments. In response to the user selection of the add caller icon,the device suspends the existing three-party conference call (1102). Thedevice 100 replaces the conference call user interface with an initiateoutgoing phone call user interface (1104). In some embodiments, theinitiate outgoing phone call user interface includes a dial pad, aselect contact icon, and/or a make phone call icon (e.g., UI 2900 inFIG. 12 includes a dial pad 2902 and a make phone call icon 2906). Auser selection of a contact list entry or a user-keyed telephone numberfollowed by a user selection of the make phone call icon initiates anoutgoing call to the user-selected party (1106).

If the user-selected party answers the call, the device 100 replaces theinitiate outgoing call user interface with a new phone call userinterface (1108). The new phone call user interface includes: aninformational item associated with the suspended conference call,another informational item representing the new outgoing call, and amerge call icon. The device 100 merges the two phone calls into a newconference call in response to a user selection of the merge call icon(1110) and monitors the next user contact with the touch screen display(1112).

FIGS. 13A-13P illustrate exemplary user interfaces displayed during acall in accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments, a UIindicates that a call is being attempted 3002 (UI 3000A, FIG. 13A) andthen indicates the connection time 3004 after the connection is made (UI3000B, FIG. 13B).

In some embodiments, in response to a tap or other predefined usergesture, the device may: mute the call (e.g., if the gesture is appliedto icon 3006); place the call on hold (e.g., if the gesture is appliedto icon 3008); swap between two calls, placing one call on hold tocontinue the other call (e.g., if the gesture is applied to icon 3009);place the call on a speaker (e.g., if the gesture is applied to icon3010); add a call (e.g., if the gesture is applied to icon 3018);display a numeric keypad for number entry (e.g., if the gesture isapplied to icon 3016, UI 3000N in FIG. 13N is displayed); display theuser's contact list (e.g., if the gesture is applied to icon 3020); orend the call (e.g., if the gesture is applied to icon 3014).

In some embodiments, if the device receives an incoming call while theuser is on another call (e.g., with someone at (650) 132-2234 in FIG.13B), then an incoming call UI is displayed, such as UI 3000C (FIG. 13C)for a known caller (e.g., Arlene Brown 3024, an entry in the user'scontact list) or UI 3000K (FIG. 13K) for an unknown caller. In someembodiments, the incoming call UI includes icons which, when activatedby a user tap or other gesture, cause the device to: (1) terminate theincoming call or send the caller to voice mail (e.g., ignore icon 3026);(2) place the current call on hold and answer the incoming call (e.g.,hold+answer icon 3028); and/or (3) end the current call and answer theincoming call (e.g., end+answer icon 3030).

In this example, in response to activation of the end+answer icon 3030(e.g., by a finger tap on the icon), the call with (650) 132-2234 isended, the call from Arlene Bascom is answered, and phone call UI 3000D(FIG. 13D) is displayed, which includes information 3031 identifying thecaller (Arlene Bascom).

In this example, in response to activation of the hold+answer icon 3028(e.g., by a finger tap on the icon), the call with (650) 132-2234 is puton hold, the call from Arlene Bascom is answered, and phone call UI3000E (FIG. 13E) is displayed, which includes information 3034identifying the caller (Arlene Bascom) and information 3032 indicatingthat the other call is suspended. In some embodiments, in response to auser gesture on the information 3032 indicating that the other call ison hold (e.g., a finger tap 3036), the active call is suspended, thesuspended call is made active, and phone call UI 3000F is displayed,which includes information 3033 and 3035 indicating the status of thetwo calls.

In some embodiments, if the merge icon 3038 (FIG. 13E or 13F) isactivated (e.g., by a finger tap 3040 on the icon), the active call andthe call on hold are merged into a conference call and a conference callUI is displayed (e.g., UI 3000G, FIG. 13G). The conference call UIincludes information 3042 about the conference call and a conferencecall management icon 3044.

In some embodiments, in response to activation of the conference callmanagement icon 3044 (e.g., by a finger tap 3046 on the icon), aconference call management UI is displayed (e.g., UI 3000H, FIG. 13H).In some embodiments, the conference call management UI includes an endcall icon 3050 and a private call icon 3056 for each entry in theconference call management UI. In some embodiments (not shown), theconference call management UI includes an end call icon and a privatecall icon that are associated with an entry when the entry ishighlighted in the conference call management UI. In some embodiments,in response to activation of the end call icon 3050 (e.g., by a fingertap 3052 on the icon), a confirmation icon is displayed (e.g., end callicon 3062, FIG. 13I) to prevent accidental deletion of a party to theconference call.

In some embodiments, in response to activation of the private call icon3056 (e.g., by a finger tap 3058 on the icon), the conference call issuspended and a phone call UI is displayed (e.g., UI 3000J, FIG. 13J),which includes information 3033 about the private call and information3035 about the suspended conference call. In this example, because onlyone other party in the conference call is on hold (Arlene Bascom in thisexample), the information 3035 about the suspended conference call isjust information about the one party on hold. In some embodiments, ifmore than one party in the conference call is put on hold, then theinformation 3035 about the suspended conference call may be lessspecific, such as “conference on hold” or the like (e.g., information3068 in UI 3000M, FIG. 13M).

If an incoming call is not from a caller known to the user (e.g. thephone number is not in the user's contact list), then an incoming callUI such as UI 3000K (FIG. 13K) is displayed, rather than an incomingcall UI such as UI 3000C (FIG. 13C) with the caller's name 3024 and/orassociated image 3022.

In some embodiments, in response to activation of the add call icon 3018(e.g., by a finger tap on the icon in FIG. 13B, 13D, or 13G), the user'scontact list is displayed (UI 3000O, FIG. 13O), which typically includesa plurality of entries that correspond to a plurality of third parties.In some embodiments, in response to activation of an entry of a thirdparty in the contact list (e.g., by a finger tap on the entry), anoutgoing phone call is initiated to the third party if there is only onephone number associated with the entry. If there is more than one phonenumber associated with the entry, these numbers are displayed (e.g., UI3000P, FIG. 13P displays two phone numbers associated with one entry forBruce Walker). In response to user selection of one of these numbers(e.g., by a finger tap on the desired number for the third party), anoutgoing phone call is initiated. In some embodiments, in response toactivation of an entry of a third party in the contact list (e.g., by afinger tap on the entry), the information for the corresponding entry isdisplayed independent of the number of phone numbers associated with theentry and, in response to user selection of a phone number in the entry,an outgoing phone call is initiated to the third party.

In some embodiments, in response to activation of the keypad icon 3016(e.g., by a finger tap on the icon), a keypad UI for entering digitsduring a call is displayed (e.g., UI 3000N, FIG. 13N), which includes adial pad 2902, a hide keypad icon 3074, and a make call icon 3071. Insome embodiments, in response to activation of icon 3074 (e.g., by afinger tap or other gesture on the icon), the UI that was beingdisplayed immediately prior to the display of the keypad UI is displayedagain.

Creating a Conference Call from Two Existing Calls

In some embodiments, the device 100 displays a phone call user interface(e.g., UI 3000E, FIG. 13E) on the touch screen display. The phone calluser interface includes a first informational item associated with anactive phone call between a user of the device and a first party (e.g.,3034), a second informational item associated with a suspended phonecall between the user and a second party (e.g., 3032), and a merge callicon (e.g., 3038).

Upon detecting a user selection of the merge call icon, (1) the activephone call and the suspended phone call are merged into a conferencecall between the user, the first party, and the second party; and (2)the phone call user interface is replaced with a conference call userinterface (e.g., UI 3000G, FIG. 13G). The conference call user interfaceincludes: a third informational item associated with the conference call(e.g., 3042) in replacement of the first and second informational items,and a conference call management icon (e.g., 3044).

Managing a Conference Call

In some embodiments, upon detecting a user selection (e.g., gesture3046) of the conference call management icon 3044, the conference calluser interface (e.g., UI 3000G) is replaced with a conference callmanagement user interface (e.g., UI 3000H, FIG. 13H). The conferencecall management user interface includes a first management entrycorresponding to the first party (e.g., 3060) and a second managemententry corresponding to the second party (e.g., 3054), each managemententry including an end call icon (e.g., 3050) and a private call icon(e.g., 3056), and a back (or previous screen) icon (e.g., 3048). Ifadditional parties were also participating in the conference call (e.g.,by a user adding caller(s) and then merging the added caller(s)), thenmanagement entries for these additional parties would also appear in theconference call management user interface (e.g., UI 3000H, FIG. 13H). Insome embodiments, as discussed above, rather than having an end callicon and a private call icon as part of each management entry, an endcall icon and a private call icon are associated with a respectivemanagement entry when the respective management entry is highlighted inthe conference call management user interface (e.g. by enlarging,bolding, or changing the shading of the respective management entry). Inthese embodiments, upon detecting user selection of the end call icon,the party corresponding to the highlighted, respective management entryis removed from the conference call, with or without confirmation.Similarly, in these embodiments, upon detecting user selection of theprivate call icon, the conference call is suspended and a private callis initiated with the party corresponding to the highlighted, respectivemanagement entry.

In some embodiments, upon detecting a user selection (e.g., gesture3052) of the end call icon in the first management entry, a confirmationicon (e.g., 3062, FIG. 1300I) is displayed on the touch screen display.Upon detecting a user selection of the confirmation icon, the firstparty is excluded from the conference call; and the first managemententry is removed from the touch screen display.

In some embodiments, upon detecting a user selection (e.g., gesture3058) of the private call icon in the second management entry, theconference call is suspended and the conference call management userinterface is replaced with the phone call user interface (e.g., UI3000J, FIG. 13J). The phone call user interface includes a fourthinformational item associated with a suspended phone call between theuser and the first party (e.g., 3035), a fifth informational itemassociated with an active phone call between the user and the secondparty (e.g., 3033), and the merge call icon (e.g., 3038).

In some embodiments, the conference call is resumed upon detecting asecond user selection of the merge call icon; and the phone call userinterface (e.g., UI 3000J, FIG. 13J), including the fourth and fifthinformational items, is replaced with the conference call user interface(e.g., UI 3000G, FIG. 13G).

Receive an Incoming Call During a Conference Call

In some embodiments, upon detecting an incoming phone call from a thirdparty, the conference call user interface or the conference callmanagement user interface (i.e., whichever interface is being displayedwhen the incoming call is detected) is replaced with an incoming phonecall user interface (e.g., UI 3000C, FIG. 13C for a known caller or UI3000K, FIG. 13K for an unknown caller). The incoming phone call userinterface includes an ignore incoming phone call icon (e.g., 3026), asuspend current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon (e.g.,3028), and an end current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon(e.g., 3030).

In some embodiments, upon detecting a user selection of the ignoreincoming phone call icon (e.g., 3026), the incoming phone call from thethird party is terminated or sent to voice mail; the conference callwith the first and second parties is continued; and the incoming phonecall user interface is replaced with the conference call user interfaceor the conference call management user interface (i.e., whicheverinterface was being displayed when the incoming call was detected).

In some embodiments, upon detecting a user selection of the end currentphone call and answer incoming phone call icon (e.g., 3030), theconference call with the first and second parties is terminated; a phonecall between the user and the third party is activated; and the incomingphone call user interface is replaced with a phone call user interface(e.g., UI 3000L, FIG. 13L). The phone call user interface includes asixth informational item associated with the phone call between the userand the third party (e.g., 3066).

In some embodiments, upon detecting a user selection of the suspendcurrent phone call and answer incoming phone call icon (e.g., 3028), theconference call with the first and second parties is suspended; a phonecall between the user and the third party is activated; and the incomingphone call user interface is replaced with a phone call user interface(e.g., UI 3000M, FIG. 13M). The phone call user interface includes asixth informational item associated with the phone call between the userand the third party (e.g., 3066), a seventh informational itemassociated with the suspended conference call between the user and thefirst and second parties (e.g., 3068), and a merge call icon (e.g.,3038).

In some embodiments, upon detecting a user selection of the suspendcurrent phone call and answer incoming phone call icon, a phone callbetween the user and the third party is activated and the incoming phonecall user interface is replaced with a phone call user interface (e.g.,UI 3000M, FIG. 13M). The phone call user interface includes a sixthinformational item associated with the phone call between the user andthe third party (e.g., 3066), a seventh informational item associatedwith the suspended conference call between the user and the first andsecond parties (e.g., 3068), and a merge call icon (e.g., 3038).

Adding a Caller During a Conference Call

In some embodiments, the conference call user interface includes an addcaller icon (e.g., 3018, FIG. 13G). Upon detecting a user selection ofthe add caller icon, the conference call with the first and secondparties is suspended and a contact list is displayed (e.g., UI 3000O,FIG. 13O).

An outgoing phone call is initiated to a third party using a phonenumber from an entry in the contact list or a phone number input by auser (e.g., using dial pad 2902, FIG. 29).

Upon detecting an acceptance of the outgoing phone call, a phone calluser interface is displayed (e.g., UI 3000M, FIG. 13M, where (987)654-3210 now corresponds to an outbound call rather than an inboundcall) that includes an eighth informational item associated with thesuspended conference call (e.g., 3068), a ninth informational itemassociated with the outgoing phone call between the user and the thirdparty (e.g., 3066), and a merge call icon (e.g., 3038).

Upon detecting a user selection of the merge call icon, (1) the outgoingphone call between the user and the third party and the suspendedconference call are merged into a conference call between the user, thefirst party, the second party, and the third party; and (2) the phonecall user interface is replaced with a conference call user interface(e.g., UI 3000G, FIG. 13G).

Thus, as explained above, transparent and intuitive user interfaces formanaging conference calls on a portable multifunction device with atouch screen display are provided. The disclosed user interfaces greatlysimplify such tasks as adding a new party to a conference call, removingan existing party from a conference call, temporarily converting aconference call into a private phone call with one of the existingparties, and returning to a conference call from a private phone call.

The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has beendescribed with reference to specific embodiments. However, theillustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or tolimit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modificationsand variations are possible in view of the above teachings. Theembodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and its practical applications, to therebyenable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention andvarious embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising: at a portablemultifunction device with a touch screen display, displaying a phonecall user interface on the touch screen display, the phone call userinterface including a first informational item associated with an activephone call between a user of the device and a first party, a secondinformational item associated with a suspended phone call between theuser and a second party, and a merge call icon; and upon detecting auser selection of the merge call icon, merging the active phone call andthe suspended phone call into a conference call between the user, thefirst party, and the second party, and replacing the phone call userinterface with a conference call user interface, the conference calluser interface including: a third informational item associated with theconference call in replacement of the first and second informationalitems, and a conference call management icon.
 2. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: upondetecting a user selection of the conference call management icon,replacing the conference call user interface with a conference callmanagement user interface, the conference call management user interfaceincluding a first management entry corresponding to the first party anda second management entry corresponding to the second party, eachmanagement entry including an end call icon and a private call icon. 3.The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising: upondetecting a user selection of the end call icon in the first managemententry, displaying a confirmation icon on the touch screen display; andupon detecting a user selection of the confirmation icon, excluding thefirst party from the conference call, and removing the first managemententry from the touch screen display.
 4. The computer-implemented methodof claim 2, further comprising: upon detecting a user selection of theprivate call icon in the second management entry, suspending theconference call, and replacing the conference call management userinterface with the phone call user interface, the phone call userinterface including a fourth informational item associated with asuspended phone call between the user and the first party, a fifthinformational item associated with an active phone call between the userand the second party, and the merge call icon.
 5. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising: resuming theconference call upon detecting a second user selection of the merge callicon; and replacing the phone call user interface including the fourthand fifth informational items with the conference call user interface.6. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising: upondetecting an incoming phone call from a third party, replacing theconference call management user interface with an incoming phone calluser interface, the incoming phone call user interface including anignore incoming phone call icon, a suspend current phone call and answerincoming phone call icon, and an end current phone call and answerincoming phone call icon.
 7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6,further comprising: upon detecting a user selection of the ignoreincoming phone call icon, terminating the incoming phone call from thethird party or sending the incoming phone call to voice mail, continuingthe conference call with the first and second parties, and replacing theincoming phone call user interface with the conference call userinterface or the conference call management user interface.
 8. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising: upondetecting a user selection of the end current phone call and answerincoming phone call icon, terminating the conference call with the firstand second parties, activating a phone call between the user and thethird party, and replacing the incoming phone call user interface with aphone call user interface, the phone call user interface including asixth informational item associated with the phone call between the userand the third party.
 9. The computer-implemented method of claim 6,further comprising: upon detecting a user selection of the suspendcurrent phone call and answer incoming phone call icon, suspending theconference call with the first and second parties, activating a phonecall between the user and the third party, and replacing the incomingphone call user interface with a phone call user interface, the phonecall user interface including a sixth informational item associated withthe phone call between the user and the third party, a seventhinformational item associated with the suspended conference call betweenthe user and the first and second parties, and a merge call icon. 10.The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising: upondetecting a user selection of the suspend current phone call and answerincoming phone call icon, activating a phone call between the user andthe third party, and replacing the incoming phone call user interfacewith a phone call user interface, the phone call user interfaceincluding a sixth informational item associated with the phone callbetween the user and the third party, a seventh informational itemassociated with the conference call between the user and the first andsecond parties, and a merge call icon.
 11. The computer-implementedmethod of claim 1, wherein the conference call user interface includesan add caller icon; the method further comprising: upon detecting a userselection of the add caller icon, suspending the conference call withthe first and second parties, and displaying a contact list; initiatingan outgoing phone call to a third party using a phone number from anentry in the contact list or a phone number input by a user; and upondetecting an acceptance of the outgoing phone call, displaying a phonecall user interface that includes an eighth informational itemassociated with the suspended conference call, a ninth informationalitem associated with the outgoing phone call between the user and thethird party, and a merge call icon.
 12. The computer-implemented methodof claim 1, further comprising: upon detecting a user selection of theconference call management icon, replacing the conference call userinterface with a conference call management user interface, theconference call management user interface including a first managemententry corresponding to the first party, a second management entrycorresponding to the second party, an end call icon, and a private callicon, wherein the end call icon and the private call icon are associatedwith a respective management entry when the respective management entryis highlighted in the conference call management user interface.
 13. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising: upondetecting a user selection of the end call icon when the firstmanagement entry is highlighted, displaying a confirmation icon on thetouch screen display; and upon detecting a user selection of theconfirmation icon, excluding the first party from the conference call,and removing the first management entry from the touch screen display.14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising:upon detecting a user selection of the private call icon when the secondmanagement entry is highlighted, suspending the conference call, andreplacing the conference call management user interface with the phonecall user interface, the phone call user interface including a fourthinformational item associated with a suspended phone call between theuser and the first party, a fifth informational item associated with anactive phone call between the user and the second party, and the mergecall icon.
 15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, furthercomprising: resuming the conference call upon detecting a second userselection of the merge call icon; and replacing the phone call userinterface including the fourth and fifth informational items with theconference call user interface.
 16. A portable multifunction device,comprising: a touch screen display; one or more processors; memory; andone or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in thememory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, theprograms including: instructions for displaying a phone call userinterface on the touch screen display, the phone call user interfaceincluding a first informational item associated with an active phonecall between a user of the device and a first party, a secondinformational item associated with a suspended phone call between theuser and a second party, and a merge call icon; instructions for mergingthe active phone call and the suspended phone call into a conferencecall between the user, the first party, and the second party upondetecting a user selection of the merge call icon; and instructions forreplacing the phone call user interface with a conference call userinterface upon detecting a user selection of the merge call icon, theconference call user interface including: a third informational itemassociated with the conference call in replacement of the first andsecond informational items, and a conference call management icon. 17.The portable multifunction device of claim 16, further comprising:instructions for replacing the conference call user interface with aconference call management user interface upon detecting a userselection of the conference call management icon, the conference callmanagement user interface including a first management entrycorresponding to the first party and a second management entrycorresponding to the second party, each management entry including anend call icon and a private call icon.
 18. The portable multifunctiondevice of claim 17, further comprising: instructions for displaying aconfirmation icon on the touch screen display upon detecting a userselection of the end call icon in the first management entry; andinstructions for excluding the first party from the conference call andremoving the first management entry from the touch screen display upondetecting a user selection of the confirmation icon.
 19. The portablemultifunction device of claim 17, further comprising: instructions forsuspending the conference call and replacing the conference callmanagement user interface with the phone call user interface upondetecting a user selection of the private call icon in the secondmanagement entry, the phone call user interface including a fourthinformational item associated with a suspended phone call between theuser and the first party, a fifth informational item associated with anactive phone call between the user and the second party, and the mergecall icon.
 20. The portable multifunction device of claim 19, furthercomprising: instructions for resuming the conference call upon detectinga second user selection of the merge call icon; and instructions forreplacing the phone call user interface including the fourth and fifthinformational items with the conference call user interface.
 21. Theportable multifunction device of claim 17, further comprising:instructions for replacing the conference call management user interfacewith an incoming phone call user interface upon detecting an incomingphone call from a third party, the incoming phone call user interfaceincluding an ignore incoming phone call icon, a suspend current phonecall and answer incoming phone call icon, and an end current phone calland answer incoming phone call icon.
 22. The portable multifunctiondevice of claim 21, further comprising: instructions for terminating theincoming phone call from the third party or sending the incoming phonecall to voice mail, continuing the conference call with the first andsecond parties, and replacing the incoming phone call user interfacewith the conference call user interface or the conference callmanagement user interface upon detecting a user selection of the ignoreincoming phone call icon.
 23. The portable multifunction device of claim21, further comprising: instructions for terminating the conference callwith the first and second parties, activating a phone call between theuser and the third party, and replacing the incoming phone call userinterface with a phone call user interface upon detecting a userselection of the end current phone call and answer incoming phone callicon, the phone call user interface including a sixth informational itemassociated with the phone call between the user and the third party. 24.The portable multifunction device of claim 21, further comprising:instructions for suspending the conference call with the first andsecond parties, activating a phone call between the user and the thirdparty, and replacing the incoming phone call user interface with a phonecall user interface upon detecting a user selection of the suspendcurrent phone call and answer incoming phone call icon, the phone calluser interface including a sixth informational item associated with thephone call between the user and the third party, a seventh informationalitem associated with the suspended conference call between the user andthe first and second parties, and a merge call icon.
 25. The portablemultifunction device of claim 21, further comprising: instructions foractivating a phone call between the user and the third party andreplacing the incoming phone call user interface with a phone call userinterface upon detecting a user selection of the suspend current phonecall and answer incoming phone call icon, the phone call user interfaceincluding a sixth informational item associated with the phone callbetween the user and the third party, a seventh informational itemassociated with the suspended conference call between the user and thefirst and second parties, and a merge call icon.
 26. The portablemultifunction device of claim 16, wherein the conference call userinterface includes an add caller icon, and the device furthercomprising: instructions for suspending the conference call with thefirst and second parties and displaying a contact list upon detecting auser selection of the add caller icon; instructions for initiating anoutgoing phone call to a third party using a phone number from an entryin the contact list or a phone number input by a user; and instructionsfor displaying a phone call user interface that includes an eighthinformational item associated with the suspended conference call upondetecting an acceptance of the outgoing phone call, a ninthinformational item associated with the outgoing phone call between theuser and the third party, and a merge call icon.
 27. The portablemultifunction device of claim 16, further comprising: instructions forreplacing the conference call user interface with a conference callmanagement user interface upon detecting a user selection of theconference call management icon, the conference call management userinterface including a first management entry corresponding to the firstparty, a second management entry corresponding to the second party, anend call icon, and a private call icon, wherein the end call icon andthe private call icon are associated with a respective management entrywhen the respective management entry is highlighted in the conferencecall management user interface.
 28. The portable multifunction device ofclaim 16, further comprising: instructions for displaying a confirmationicon on the touch screen display upon detecting a user selection of theend call icon when the first management entry is highlighted;instructions for excluding the first party from the conference call upondetecting a user selection of the confirmation icon; and instructionsfor removing the first management entry from the touch screen displayupon detecting the user selection of the confirmation icon.
 29. Theportable multifunction device of claim 16, further comprising:instructions for suspending the conference call upon detecting a userselection of the private call icon when the second management entry ishighlighted; and instructions for replacing the conference callmanagement user interface with the phone call user interface upondetecting the user selection of the private call icon when the secondmanagement entry is highlighted, the phone call user interface includinga fourth informational item associated with a suspended phone callbetween the user and the first party, a fifth informational itemassociated with an active phone call between the user and the secondparty, and the merge call icon.
 30. The portable multifunction device ofclaim 29, further comprising: instructions for resuming the conferencecall upon detecting a second user selection of the merge call icon; andinstructions for replacing the phone call user interface including thefourth and fifth informational items with the conference call userinterface.
 31. A computer-program product, comprising: a computerreadable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embeddedtherein, the computer program mechanism comprising instructions, whichwhen executed by a portable multifunction device with a touch screendisplay, cause the device to: display a phone call user interface on thetouch screen display, the phone call user interface including a firstinformational item associated with an active phone call between a userof the device and a first party, a second informational item associatedwith a suspended phone call between the user and a second party, and amerge call icon; merge the active phone call and the suspended phonecall into a conference call between the user, the first party, and thesecond party upon detecting a user selection of the merge call icon; andreplace the phone call user interface with a conference call userinterface upon detecting a user selection of the merge call icon, theconference call user interface including: a third informational itemassociated with the conference call in replacement of the first andsecond informational items, and a conference call management icon.
 32. Aphone call graphical user interface on a portable multifunction devicewith a touch screen display, comprising: a first informational itemassociated with an active phone call between a user of the device and afirst party, a second informational item associated with a suspendedphone call between the user and a second party, and a merge call icon;wherein: upon detecting a user selection of the merge call icon, theactive phone call and the suspended phone call are merged into aconference call between the user, the first party, and the second party,and the phone call graphical user interface is replaced with aconference call user interface, the conference call user interfaceincluding: a third informational item associated with the conferencecall in replacement of the first and second informational items, and aconference call management icon.
 33. A portable multifunction devicewith a touch screen display, comprising: means for displaying a phonecall user interface on the touch screen display, the phone call userinterface including a first informational item associated with an activephone call between a user of the device and a first party, a secondinformational item associated with a suspended phone call between theuser and a second party, and a merge call icon; means for merging, upondetecting a user selection of the merge call icon, the active phone calland the suspended phone call into a conference call between the user,the first party, and the second party; and means for replacing, upondetecting a user selection of the merge call icon, the phone call userinterface with a conference call user interface, the conference calluser interface including: a third informational item associated with theconference call in replacement of the first and second informationalitems, and a conference call management icon.